Shoe sole flexing machine



June 4, 1957 J, FABER -rAL 2,794,193

suoE som: FLEXING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1953 2 Shee'ts-Sht 1 INVENToRs. JACK L FABER. GILBERT R.FABER.

SYM? TToRNEY.

June 4, 1957 J. L. FABER Erl-Ai. 2,794,193

SHOE SOLE FLEXING MACHINE 2 Shoots-Shut 2 Filed July 28. 195s I4 BY 23 8 AT ORNEY.

United States Patent l() 2,794,193 SHOE SOLE FLEXING MACHINE Jack L. Faber and Gilbert R. Faber, Millersburg, Pa. Application .luly 28, 1953, Serial No. 370,686 4 Claims. (Cl. 12-41.1)

This invention relates to shoe machinery and more particularly to that pertaining to the exing of completed shoes and their soles, so that their natural rigidity will be reduced to a condition for comfortable wear by an individual.

This invention is an improvement of the shoe sole flexing machine by the same applicants illustrated and described in U. S. Letters Patent Number 2,464,969, dated March 22, 1949, to which attention is called. The device included in this invention, has several features, additional to those mentioned in the said patent, and these features have advantages of considerable practical merit. In the first place the locus of pressure, on which the flexing centers is located at the ball of the sole. This has been found to be the best area on which to bend or flex the shoe, as its effect is more uniform and less liable to induce breaks or cracking in the materials of the shoe during its fiexing treatment, and in addition the thickness of the shoe at this point is usually uniform.

The structure also is provided with mechanism adapted to hold it automatically in operation while the flexing is being produced and until its functions are completed. Further the holders used to keep the shoes in position on the machine, lare made resiliently adjustable, and have a special gooseneck contour angularly directed to flexing plates during the flexing.

The objects of this invention include the features mentioned and the provision of a machine for flexing shoes that will avoid one or more of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

An additional object is to provide means for adjusting the line of flexing to suit the size of shoe used.

Additional `objects can be appreciated as the details of the invention are disclosed herein.

In order to better understand the invention, its objects, principles yand mode of operation, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and following description.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine for flexing the soles of shoes embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a detail `of the flexing rod used in this embodiment;

Figure 5 is a detail of the yoke used in this embodiment with parts partly in diagram form to indicate the electrical net-work used in connection with it;

Figure 6 is =a fragmentary perspective view of the handles and components of the yoke; and

Figure 7 is a detail of a modified form of flexing mechanism for this embodiment.

Similar reference characters point out the same parts throughout the drawings.

The machine embodying the invention shown in the drawings is primarily intended for leather shoes, and consists of a cabinet or housing 10, in which the general Patented June 4, 1957 ice mechanism is contained and protected. The top of the cabinet serves as a deck 11 on which a pair of flexible plates 12 are angularly reciprocated during the period used for fiexing a pair of shoes 13 thereon. The front portion of the plates is free but the rear is rigidly held. The material of which the plates 12 is made is preferably of stiff rubberlike plastic, but other semi-rigid materials thin and strong enough to allow -a similar action, may be employed instead. To facilitate the accurate placement of the pair of shoes 13 in the right areas of the plates 12, an outline 14 for each shoe is printed or painted on each plate. The plates are placed adjacent one another with sufficient space in between them to allow independent movement by each during the flexing operations. A movable clamp 15 is secured along the rear edge of each plate 12 at the heel to hold this portion rigidly to the deck. The clamp is movable by use of the slot 44 and screw 47. The clamp functions -as a hinge for each plate and can Ybe moved forwardly or rearwardly to conform with the size of the shoe and the location of the heel. The front areas of the plates 12 are contacted underneath by a pair of rounded enlarged heads 16. These heads 16 are mounted on the end portions of a pair of rods 17. The other ends of the rods 17 are secured to an eccentrically mounted shaft B. This shaft B is acontinuation of shaft 19 from the gear housing 21. Shaft B, after passing through the disc 18 located furthermost from the gear housing 21, is brought back to the original plane of operation of shaft 19 by means ofr a linkage A. The discs 18 are rotated for smooth operation by their shafts 19 and linkage A, which, in turn, are actuated by a motor 20 through a suitable mechanism in a housing 21. The driving mechanism consists of a speed changer and a train of gears of conventional form, to produce the necessary rate of rotation and torque, and is supported in the housing 21.' The motor 20 is connected to an electric circuit controlled by a switch 45 in a conventional manner. In order to hold the pair of shoes 13 firmly against the pair of laminated flexing plates 12, a pair of tensioning yokes 27 of arcuate contour or goose-neck form are long enough to overreach the rear portions of the shoes and project into the latter so as to come into alignment with the ball area of the shoes. When pressed down the shoes are held down so tightly that they will not slip from under the flexing action of the flexing mechanism and heads 16, but will have their soles flexed synchronously with the plates 12. To provide a more satisfactory pressure on the soles of the shoes, the yokes 27 are equipped with a rubber-like bumper 28 that engages with the ball area of each shoe to distribute the pressure evenly on the shoe sole in that area without defacing or scratching the leather. Each bumper 28 is attached to a plunger 29 slidable in a cylindrical passage 30 in the end crown 31 of the yoke. The plunger 29 is pressed outwardly by a coil spring 32 that adds to its resiliency. The pair of yokes 27 are transversely connected to -a cross-bar 33, where their vertical legs 34 extend down through the holes 22 in the deck of the cabinet 10 into the interior thereof. The legs 34 with piston like heads 24 project into cups 35, rigidly attached to the bottom or floor of the cabinet and containing coil springs 36. The springs 36 provide a resilient base on which the yoke pistons 24 can rest and give a resilient adjustability. The cross bar 33 is engaged by a hook 37 on a lever hinged to the cabinet. The hook is used to hold or release the cross bar, and incidentally the yokes. It has a handle 46 to work it. When the handle 38 attached to the cross bar 33 is manually operated it moves the yokes accordingly. In addition a solenoid 41 is attached to the hook handle 46 and `operates when so :desired by the user. The solenoid 41 is mounted on a wall of the cabinet yand is the bumpers 28 as they reciprocate.

connected through a control switch 25 to an outside circuit, in a conventional manner. This is to provide an automatic and expeditious release of the yokes when desirable. Also another solenoid 40 controlled by switch 26 acts onl the handle 38 and operates the yokes. Spring 49 tensions the lever 39.

When the machine is put into operation, the operator places a pair of shoes 13 on the plates 12 within the areas encompassed by the outlines 14. The plates 12 are stationary While this is being done and they lie flat on the deck 11. The yokes are swung into the shoes 13 and then adjusted until `their ball areas are in line with the crowns 31 and the bumpers 28 are in contact with them. The yokes 27 are pulled down tight. Then the clamp 15 is adjusted on each plate 12 until it is located adjacent the heel of each shoe to suit its size, and the flexing of the plates. The yokes 27 are held down in position by the hook 37 engaged over the bar 33. This may be done manually and release may be had by the use of the solenoid 41 and switch 25. The yoke handle 38 is pulled down by hand or may be operated by the solenoid 40 and the links connecting it up. When the motor 20 is started it causes the gearing of the speed changer 21 and discs 18 to operate and raise the rods 17 with their heads 16 pressed against the underside of the plates 12 and ex them. The forward portions of the plates 12 -being free are flexed by this mechanism and in turn flex the soles of the shoes 13, through the pressure exerted on them by The exing is continued until the soles of the shoes have been softened and become comfortable to the prospective wearer. Then the' machine is stopped, the yokes released, and the shoes removed. The screws 47 in slots 44 Iadjust the clamp 15. Fig. 7 shows the discs replaced by cams 23 acting on the ball joints 148 to raise the rods 17 and heads 16 against the flexing plates.

While but one in the drawings not 4desired to limit this application for patent to this general form of the invention is shown and described in the specification, it isl y deck adapted to receive both shoes, adjustable pivot means adjacent the heel of the shoe, a pair of slidable yokes having a portion extending Within the casing and protruding outwardly through the deck and above the shoes, means in the casing for slidably supporting said portion, said yokes having each a return-bend portion directed towards the shoes and contacting the inner shoe soles, connecting means between the yokes so that both are movable simultaneously, and power means within the casing for continually llexing the shoe soles, including power means for lsliding the yokes, and a handle connected to said yokes, whereby the latter may be selectively operated manually or by power.

2. A device as set forth in claim l, including latching means for the connecting means between the yokes to hold said yokes in position during operation of the device.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2, including a magnet for releasing the aforesaid latching means.

4. A exing device as set forth in claim l, said power means for sliding the yokes including a magnet connected to the handle for operating the latter.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 588,703 Learoyd Aug. 24, 1897 1,150,143 Norden Aug. 17, 1915 2,340,463 Gano Feb. l, 1944 2,464,969 Faber et a1. Mar. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,978 Great Britain of 1902 

